Gas space heater



Aug. 22, 1Q57 c', R'UHL 3,336,914

GAS SPACE HEATER Filed March 18, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Charles L. Ruhl ATTORNEY Aug. 22, W67 c. L. RUHL I 3,336,914

GAS SPACE HEATER Filed Match 18, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4

Charles L. Ruhl ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,336,914 GAS SPACE HEATER Charles L. Ruhl, 1327 N. Edgefield, Dallas, Tex. 75208 Filed Mar. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 440,796 1 (Jlaim. (Cl. 126-90) This invention relates to heating appliances, and it has particular reference to gas burning heaters for residential use and generally referred to as space heaters adapted to be installed in a wall.

One of the disadvantages encountered with most types of wall mounted gas heaters is in the lack of provision for the proper circulation of air therethrough whereby to produce the maximum heating efficiency which can be accomplished by the effective channeling of air through the bottom of the heater behind, and on either side of the heating element, and out through the top of the heater.

Another disadvantage found in most conventional space heaters is the exposure of the outer walls to excessive heating which is both wasteful and, in some instances hazardous, due to overheating of the wall structure in which the appliance is mounted. While in many instances adequate insulation is provided to protect the surrounding structures, some loss in the effectiveness of the appliance is experienced due to improper air circulation over the heated surfaces.

An object of the invention is that of providing a space heater in which the burner is arranged in a central compartment substantially isolated from the outer walls of the main housing and providing a plurality of separate air circulation channels therearound and thereover whereby the full volume of air entering the housing from the bottom is circulated through the device and is thoroughly heated and discharged from the top of the housing through a plurality of separate channels and in contact with a plurality of heated surfaces.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a wall type gas heater of sturdy construction and embodying safety features calculated to eliminate fire hazards to the supporting wall structures and to the persons or occupants of the building.

A still further object of the invention is that of providing a space heater having an especially designed louvered front cover wherein the louvers are arranged to direct the fiow of air through the appliance to produce the most efiicient circulation of heat radiation under substantially any atmospheric conditions, and prevent any direct contact with the heating element by persons or objects near the heater, and in fact, provide a louvered closure which is relatively cool at all times while the atmosphere is comfortably warm.

Another object of the invention is that of providing a wall heater appliance in which the heating element, with its immediate jacket, may be easily removed from the main housing, if desired, including the arrangement of baffles and channels, without disturbing the main housing which can be permanently mounted in a hollow wall structure.

While the foregoing objects are paramount, other and lesser objects will become apparent as the description proceeds, when considered in connection with the appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the louvered closure for the heater embodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view, on line 22, illustrating the main housing, the inner housing, and the burner compartment with its arrangement of spaced baffles defining air ducts.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the heater, on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, when the louvered closure is 3,336,914 Patented Aug. 22, 1967 removed, showing the inner housing and burner compartment.

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view, on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3, showing the top of the inner housing.

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view, on line 55 of FIGURE 3, through the top of the inner housing and the intermediate bafile member and above the lowermost bafile member, and

FIGURE 6 is a transverse sectional view, on line 6-6 of FIGURE 3, through the main housing, the inner housing, and the burner compartment, and showing the burner in plan.

The invention is enclosed within a main housing 10, which is rectangular and has top, bottom and side walls 11, 12 and 13, and is adapted for installation in a hollow wall structure 14 of conventional design and having a louvered front closure 15, as shown in FIGURES l and 2. The embodiment of the invention is in the inner housing, the burner compartment and baffle assembly, as shown more clearly in FIGURE 2, and which will be described in detail.

The inner housing 16 is arranged within the main housing 10 and has side walls 17 whose rear marginal edges are angular, as shown in FIGURE 2. A rear wall 18, having a plurality of transverse brakes: a and b to provide obtusely angled surfaces c, d and e, is conformably attached at its opposing edges to the side walls 17 whose lowermost edge 19 terminates above the lower edges of the side walls 17, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, providing an opening into the space 20 behind the inner housing 16 within the main housing 10.

The burner 21, shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 6, is supported in the lower end of a compartment 22 arranged within the inner housing 16 and has side walls 23 spaced inwardly from the side walls 17 of the inner housing 16. The rear wall 24 of the burner compartment 22 has a plurality of transverse brakes g and 11 whereby to form obtusely angled surfaces i, j and k which conform to the angular rear marginal edges of the side walls 23, the angular surfaces being parallel to those of the rear wall 18 of the inner housing 16, and spaced therefrom, to define a channel 25 therebetween as best shown in FIG- URE 2.

The burner 21 has an inlet manifold 26 formed therebeneath having a fuel valve 27 and an air mixing valve 28 attached thereto, as shown in FIGURE 3. A bracket 29 is formed on each end of the burner 21 by which it is secured through screws 30 to supporting shelves 31 formed on the lower ends of the side walls 23 of the burner compartment 22 and bent inwardly at right angles, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 6. The lower end of the rear wall 24 of the burner compartment 22 depends below the burner 21 and is spaced rearwardly therefrom providing an elongated opening 32.

A baffle element 33 is arranged transversely of the upper portion of the burner compartment 22 and is attached at each end to the side walls 23 thereof, and spaced from and parallel to the upper angular portions i, j and k of the rear wall 24 of the burner compartment 22, its angular surfaces 1, m and n conforming to those of the wall 24, as shown in FIGURE 2, defining an elongated channel 34.

Near the lowermost ends of the side walls 17 of the inner housing 16 are tabs 35 which are cut out and bent inwardly at right angles and provide supporting brackets for the burner compartment 22 which has corresponding right angular tabs 36 formed at the lower front edges of the side walls 23 thereof and welded to the tabs 35, as shown in FIGURE 3. The rear wall 24' of the compartment 22 is attached to the rear wall 37 of the main housing 10 by a bracket 38, shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 6,

J screws 39 being arranged through the rear wall 24 of the burner compartment 22 and the bracket 38.

The upper end of the inner housing 16 is supported in the main housing 10 by laterally extending tabs 40 on each side wall 1'7 of the inner housing 16 which are received in brackets 41 secured to the inner surfaces of the side walls 13 of the main housing 10, as shown in FIG- URES 3 and 4. The brackets 41 are angular in transverse section and have horizontally extending plates 42 overlying the lateral flanges 43 formed along the forward edges of the side walls 13 of the main housing 10 providing means for securing the latter in the wall structure 14.

The inner housing 16, to which the burner compartment 22 is rigidly secured, can be detached from the main housing 10 by removing the screws 39 and lifting the inner housing 16 to raise the tabs 40 from the brackets 41. In this manner the whole inner structure of the heater can be removed from the main housing 10, including the burner 21 which is attached to the lower end of the burner compartment 22.

By the arrangement of the burner compartment 22 in the inner housing 16, and the arrangement of the latter within the main housing 10, heat from the burner 21 is primarily restricted to the area surrounding the burner compartment 22 and within the inner housing 16 so that the :main housing 10 will remain relatively cool at all times. cool air entering the heater from the front through the louvered slots 44 in the closure 15, below and immediately above the burner 21, will pass upwardly about the burner compartment 22 through the channels 44 on each side thereof, and the channels 25 and 34between the members 18, 24 and 33 and out through the louvered slots 45 in the upper portion of the closure 15, as indicated by the arrows in FIGURES 2 and 3.

Heated air rising through the channels 44 on each side of the burner compartment 22 must pass behind a baffle 46 arranged on each wall 23 thereof, as shown in FIG- URES 3 and 5, and in the upper portion of the inner housing 16. These baffles 46 are angular in transverse section and are open at their uppermost ends whereby the heated air is directed into the channel 25 above the burner compartment 22 and out through the uppermost louvered slots in the closure 15. A portion of the hot air flowing upwardly through the burner compartment 22 above the burner 21 passes through a bafiled slot 47, in the upper rear wall 24 of the burner compartment 22, and into the channel 25.

Such arrangement insures a continuous circulation of heat through the structure while minimizing the heat coming into contact with the walls of the main housing 111. The closure 15 is secured to the plates 42, and similar devices 48, attached to the flanges 43 of the main housing 10, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 6.

The invention may obviously be modified in structure and design without departing from the spirit and intent thereof or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a space heater for installation in a wall and having a main housing, an inner housing removably arranged in said main housing and having its rear wall inclined rearwardly and downwardly in a plurality of angular planes, a burner compartment formed with said inner housing and having a rear wall spaced from and in planes parallel to the rear wall of said inner housing to define an air channel open to the front of said main housing and a burner in said burner compartment, the improvements comprising: an angular baffie arranged transversely of the upper portion of said burner compartment and spaced below and parallel to the angular rear wall of said compartment, the said angular baffle having a bafl'led slot formed in its upper obtuse surface, and baffle means arranged on each side wall of said burner compartment, and near the top thereof, whereby to direct heated air into said air channel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,456,472 5/1923 Stein l2690 2,552,837 5/1951 Blazer. 2,696,205 12/1954 Ruhl l26-90 X 2,859,742 11/1958 Ruhl 126-9O X JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner. 

